Apparatus for comparing rotation of shafts.



F. TSUCHIYA.

APPARATUS FOR COMPARING ROTATION 0F SHAFTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1911.

1,292,366. Patented Jan. 21,1919.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII n: mums runs :0. ruamumm wwmanm. n c

FUJ'IMARU TSU'CHIYA, OF HIRANO,

KOBE, JAPAN.

APPARATUS FOR COMPARING ROTATION OF SHAFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Application filed June 22, 1917. Serial No. 176,451.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FUJIMARU TSUCHIYA, a subject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at No. 125 Umemotocho, Hirano, Kobe, J apan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Comparing Rotation of Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for comparing the rotation of two or more shafts or bodies, wherein one of the bodies is fitted with indicating needles and mirrors which face toward the needles while the other is provided with marks toward which said needles are directed, the needles and marks being arranged to form images on the surface of the said mirrors to make their relative positions visible. The objects of the invention are to indicate the relative speed of the rotating bodies, to show whether the speeds thereof are the same or not, and also to show the relative positions of the bodies in rotation. The invention may therefore be used, for instance, in a ship having equipment for cruising apparatus, in addition to the main turbine arrangement so that while the ship is propelled by the main turbine only, the cruising apparatus can be safely clutched to the propeller shafts without stopping the propulsion of the ship by the said main turbine.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view showing an apparatus for indicating the relative speed of two shafts.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional taken on the line 111-111 in Fig. 2.

Fig. i is an elevation of my improved apparatus as applied to a clutch.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings 1 represents a shaft connected to one of the rotating bodies by any suitable means and arranged around the shaft is a sleeve 5 to which is connected in any suitable manner the other rotating 'body. The ratio of rotation of the shaft 1 to that of the sleeve 5 is the same as that of one body to the other.

The shaft 1 is provided with an arm 2 which extends radially from the opposite sides of the disk and carried by the extreme outer ends of the arms are the needles 4. While I have shown an arm 2 it will be understood that the same could be made in the form of a disk and the needles 4 carried by opposite sides. The arm 2 is provided with one or more mirrors 3 at a point midway between the axis of the shaft and the outer end carrying the needles.

The sleeve 5 is journaled in a suitable bearing 7 supported in any desired manner and has rigidly secured to its upper end a disk 8. The disk 8 has secured to its outer periphery a vertically disposed ring 9 or the disk and ring may be made integral. The inner periphery of the ring which is close to the indicating needles 4 is provided with one or more marks 6, which may be in the form of a mark or a projection. the drawings it will be seen that I have shown a series of marks 6, thus the apparatus is intended to indicate the equi-phase of the rotating bodies carried by the shaft 1 and the sleeve 5. These marks 6 must be equal distances apart, dividing the inner periphery of the ring into the necessary number of equal circumferentialparts.

When my improved indicator is coupled to two rotating bodies as heretofore de- From Fig. 2 of scribed, the arm 2 and the ring 9 are rotated at the same rate of speed as the shaft 1 and sleeve 5 and thus the needles 4 and the lines 6 rotate at the same speed respectively. Thus when the mirrors are observed by placing the eye at the point indicated at Fig. 1, the virtual images of both the indicating needles 4 and the lines 6 are visible independently. When the speeds of the two rotating bodies become equal, the relative position of the two series of the virtual images is fixed with a certain constant distance. When the speeds of the two bodies are not equal, the relative position of the images varies continuously, that is the distance between the images will either increase or cle- -crease. By observing the direction toward which the distances between the images in the mirror increase or decrease, you can readily determine which of the two rotating bodies are rotating faster or slower, as compared to the other. When the relative position of the images become constant, it will be known that the two bodies are ro tating at the same-rate of speed. Thus when it is desired to connect two turbine shafts together while rotating, the shaft 1 and sleeve 5 are geared respectively to the turbine shafts to rotate respectively at the same rate of speed. By observing the mir rors as described heretofore, one can observe the two images-and determine whether they remain the same distance apart or whether .they draw closer together or farther apart.

When the images in the mirror do not maintain their relative positions to each other you know the rate of rotation is not the same and you also know by the increasing or decreasing distance between the images which of the two shafts is rotating at the greater speed. When the two images remain ata fixed point in respect to each other you know that the two turbine shafts are rotating atthe same rate of speed and therefore it is the proper time for operating the clutch forcoupling the'two shafts together. By thisstructure it will be seen thatany possible damage caused by shock due to connecting the two shafts rotated at different rates of speed is eliminated.

When the apparatus .is arranged vertically-as shown in Figs. -1 and 2, the images upon the mirror can be observed all around the apparatus but if the circumstance requires the apparatus may be horizontally arranged.

Instead of the rings 9 and arms 2 sleeve 5 andshaft 1, the marks 6 and the mirrors 3 .may :be fitted directly on the two original rotating bodies which is more accurate. This will .insure of the absolutelysame rotation of .the two bodies as there is no lost motion which might occur by the bending, twisting or any gaps between the gearing mechanism.

I haveshown in Figs and 5 the mirrors and marks carried directly by the shafts. In these figures, 10 and 11 are thetwo rotating shafts, having a clutch'at their abutting ends and designated 12 and 12. Surrounding the ends of the shafts is the cyl in drical clutch member 14: having teeth 13 on its inner periphery. On the inner periphery ofthe member 14% the lines 6 are marked and the clutch iteethtake the place of the arms 2 and carry the needles at and the mirrors 3 are attached directly to the shaft. By this structure it will be seen that, placing the plish the same result or either of them may be either lines or needles, so long as they may give clear virtual images on :the mirrors.

Claim:

1. An apparatus for comparing :the :ro'ta-v tion of .two bodies, comprising needles carried by one of said bodies, mirrors-carried by said "body and facing the needles, :and mark-lines carried by the other 2body,-whereby the needles and lines form virtual images on the mirrors, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus forcomparing rotation of two bodies, comprising needles carried by one of said bodies, mirrors carried by said body and facing the needles, andmarkdines carried by the other body and facing the mirrors, said lines and needles being arranged to form virtual images on ithe mirrors, and wherein the two 'bodiesare rotated at the same speed ratio respectively as and through two original rotating bodies, the relative rotation of which is observed, substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatus for comparing the rotation of two :bodies, comprising armscarried by one of said bodies, indicating needles carried by the outer ends of the arms, :mirrors carried by the arms spaced from the needles and facing the same, a ring carried by the other body and having lines on the inner periphery thereof, the needles and lines being arranged to make virtual images upon each of the mirrors, whereby when the two rotating bodies are rotated about the same aXis, the relative rotation can be observed in the mirrors.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FUJIMARU TSUCHIYA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

